Cryogenic tank wall

Details Cryogenic tank wall Cryogenic tank wall

1999-06-29

2001-01-30

McDermott, Corrine (Department: 3744)

Refrigeration

Storage of solidified or liquified gas

Reexamination Certificate

active

06178754

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a structural cryogenic tank wall having an outer skin and an inner skin between which there is a cavity containing a thermally insulative structure.
The invention also concerns a cryogenic tank including a wall of the above kind and equipping terrestrial, maritime or aerospace vehicles necessitating the storage of cryogenic fuels, for example reusable space launch vehicles.
The invention also concerns a method of manufacturing a wall of the above kind and a method of diagnosing faults to which such walls are susceptible.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Reusable space launch vehicles are a promising way to reduce launch costs. Building a launcher of this kind entails solving technical problems such as minimizing the structural mass of the launch vehicle and continuously monitoring the structural integrity of the tanks. To reduce the mass of the launch vehicle it is advantageous for the wall of a cryogenic tank to assure the tank, structure and functional surveillance functions simultaneously.
Most prior art methods for monitoring the functional integrity of the wall of a cryogenic tank are not of a global nature in that they assume that the fault will occur at a particular location where a sensor is installed. Apart from the fact that such methods are complex and incomplete, repairing the tank generally entails total demounting of the faulty structure.
The aim of the invention is to provide a cryogenic tank wall which has a structural function and a tank functional integrity monitoring function.
Another aim of the invention is to facilitate locating and replacing faulty parts of the wall to avoid replacing the entire cryogenic tank.
Another aim of the invention is to prevent atmospheric cryo-pumping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention consists in a structural cryogenic tank wall having an outer skin and an inner skin between which is an evacuated cavity containing a thermally insulative structure empty of any gas and in which is installed at least one sensor for continuously verifying that the vacuum is maintained in order to monitor the structural integrity of the outer and inner skins and the sealing of the cryogenic tank, which wall has a modular structure constructed by juxtaposing a plurality of adjacent panels, each of the panels being constructed by assembling an outer skin and an inner skin with the evacuated cavity and the sensor between them.
With a wall of the above kind, the origin of the fault can easily be located and only the faulty panels replaced, which minimizes maintenance time and cost.
The thermally insulative structure in the cavity between the skins of the wall is preferably a honeycomb structure whose partitions are either porous or perforated with one or more holes.
Because the cells communicate with each other, if a gas leak occurs in a given cell, it is immediately detected by the sensor installed between the outer wall and the inner wall of the faulty panel.
Other features and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description, which is given by way of non-limiting example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2609068 (1952-09-01), Pajak
patent: 3150793 (1964-09-01), Messer
patent: 3302358 (1967-02-01), Jackson
patent: 3931424 (1976-01-01), Helf et al.
patent: 4023617 (1977-05-01), Carlson et al.
patent: 4404843 (1983-09-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 5042751 (1991-08-01), Kolom

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